RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Thames Star, Volume VI, Issue 1851, 8 December 1874, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT

THIS DAY. (Before J. Kilgour and E. W. Puckey, Esqs., J.P.s) VENUS WAES. Amelia Thornelly was charged with that she did unlawfully assault one Mary Ann Haddocks by seizing her by the throat and ana. Mr Macdonald for complainant; and Mr Dodd for defendant. Dcfandunt pleaded not guilty. Mr Macdonald stated the circumstances of the case, which appear in the evidence given. Mary Arm Maddocks deposed on'oath —Thai; ahe was married. Lived in Richmond street. Defendant lived in next allotment. Ecpfc a quantity of geese. The assault took place on the 3rd December. Witness' attention was called by Mrs Carey to the fact that defendants children were killing her geese. The geese were in defendant's garden. Wit- ! ness went to drive them put when defendant came behind her and caught hor by the throat and arm. The consequences might have been serious. Witness was partially insensible afterwards. Gave no provocation. There was nothing in the place where the geese were that could be hurt.' She took one up and threw ifc at witness. Mrs Carey saw it all. The witness was cross* examined by Mr Dodd. She said* she had not been ordered off the premises by defendant previous to being assaulted.

Mary Carey deposed that she lived in Bailey street. Saw the assault complained of. Called Mrs Maddocks to tell her that her geese were being driven. . Saw Mrs Thornelly catch Mrs Maddocka by the throat and arm. She told her to go before. By Mr Dodd : Defendant had hold of complainant at the time she told her to go. Mrs Maddocks called Mrs Thornelly a thief after she came out. This concluded the case for the complainant. Emma Thornelly (a young girl) deposed that she recollected last Thursday. Recollected Mrs Maddocks' geese coming into her mother's ground. She was driving them out when Mrs Maddocks came and threatened to box her ears. Witness called for her mother. Mrs Maddocks said she had as-much right to;be there as her mother. Her mother then told Mrs Maddocks to go out. Mrs Maddocks called defendant a dirty bitch ; also said that she kept a stinking house, also called her a thief, and witness a thief. Witness' mother then took hold of her by the two shoulders and turned her out, gently. Mrs Carey was in her house. Defendant made use of no bad language. Mrs Maddocks hit her mother. * Had had no p conversation with her mother respecting the assault since it took place. Defendant: There's the mark. Complainant: You bad woman, you ! Mr Dodd: You have a pretty bad temper, too. Complainant: Enough to give anyone a bad temper. .., ,■ ; ■, ■■: ...^\. Sarah Ann Thornelly—a little girl of eleven—was next called. The Bench ascertained to its own satisfaction that the child understood the nature of an oath. Her evidence was corroborative of that given by her sister. The Court found that an assault had been committed, but that certain circumstances of annoyance occasioned by complainant's geese were «hown to have existed, and in consideration of this the penalty would be less than it otherwise would. A fine of 20s and costs was imposed, with the alternative of 2 days' imprisonment. The costs amounted to £2 6a 6d. Mr Dodd asked that defendant bs allowed 3 days in which to pay the fine. This was- alldwld, and the; Court adjourned.